Artificial leg.



F. BUGHSTBIN.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 1012 Patented Aug. 18, 191i 2222115565, mjflwram 'f me YHE Nomus PETERS C0,, PHOTCLLITHOH WASHINGTON. D. Q

FERDINAND sucnsrnm, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

ARTIFICIAL. LEG. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

Application filed August 16, 1912.. .Serial No. 715,367.

To all whom it may concern Be. it known that :I, FERDINAND BUcII- s'rnIN,.a.citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Henncpin andState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will. enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

My invention relates to artificial legs and has for its object to improve thesamef in several important particulars, but more especially is directed to theimp'roved connections for producing natural forward swing ing movement of the lower leg section of an artificial leg constructed for application to. upper leg amputations.

The improved leg is illustrated in the ac companying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure. 1 shows the improved artificialleg in front elevation.

some parts being broken away and some parts being sectioned; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved artificial leg, some parts being broken away and some parts being sectioned; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line w w? on Fig. 2, and showing one of the connections removed from the artificial leg; and Fig. 4 is a detail in vertical section taken approximately on the line w" w on Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 indicates the lower leg section, the numeral 2 the upper leg section and the numeral 3 the foot of the artificial leg, which parts may be of the usual or any suitable construction, the foot being connected to the lower end section by an ankle joint 1 and the upper and lower leg sections being connected by a suitable knee joint 5.

The numeral 6 indicates the shoulder strap cords, which in accordance with one feature of the invention, are passed through adjustable cord guides. These cord guides, as shown, are made up each of a tubular guide sleeve 7 and rectangular guide loop 8 connected by a tubular rivet 9. Preferably,

said parts 7 and 8 are made of leather. The shoulder strap cords 6 are passed through the guide sleeves 7 and an anchoring strap 10, preferably of leather, is passed through the guide loop 8. This anchor strap 10 surrounds the upper portion of the upper leg section 2and is anchored thereto at several different points by screws 11, or other suitable devices. Between the screws 11, the anchor strap 10 is loose and has perforations 12, through which, and the tubular rivets 9, tie cords 13 are adapted to be passed to an chor the cord guides 78 with freedom for adjustments circumferentially of the leg. This adjustment is important and will presentlyinorefully appear, because it permits the legto be adjusted and suspended from the shoulder straps with the foot of the artificlal limb set at a desired angle of divergence. The upper ends of the cords 6 are formed with loops to which the shoulder straps may be conveniently attached.

' The numeral 14 indicates strong elastic straps which, at their lower ends, are anchored to the sides of the lower portion of the upper leg section 2, and at their free upper ends are secured to sheave brackets or heads 15, which latter are provided with sheaves 16 hung upon the intermediate portions of the shoulder strap cords (3. Also, the backs of the brackets 15 are attached by screws 17, and otherwise, to the upper ends of so-called lower leg straps 18. These knee straps 18 are extended downward in front of the knee joint pivot 5 and are passed through eyelets or perforations 19 formed in the front of the upper portion of the lower leg section 1. Also the straps 18 are preferably passed through guide loops on the lower front portion of the upper leg section 2, afforded by straps 2O having their ends secured to the sides of the lower portion of the upper leg section 2. The lower ends of the straps 18, after they are passed through the eyelets 1.9 are passed through suitable guides 21 secured on the rear intermediate portion of the interior of the lower leg section. The extreme inner ends of the said straps 18 are attached to, or provided with elastic terminal straps 18 that are anchored at 22 to the back of the lower leg section 1.

With the above described arrangements of the elements of the leg, the action is substantially as follows: The shoulder straps need not be made of elastic material, inasmuch as the elasticity of the suspcnder made up of the shoulder strap cords 6 and elastic straps 14 will properly carry and hold up the upper leg section 2 and maintain the proper engagement thereof with the leg stump. Vv'hen the foot of the artificialleg is lifted from the wound While the knee shoulderstrap cord andvhence, the lower leg section will be given a natural forward swingingmovement into straight alinement with the upper leg section. Any excessive pull on the straps 18 will simply stretch the elastic sections 18 thereof.

It will he noted that the upper andlower ends of the straps 18 are anchored or have their terminal connections on a line that extends at the rear of the knee oint 5, while the intermediate portions of the said straps are guided by, and act against portions of the leg sections land 2 that are far ahead of the knee joint. This arrangement, of course, causes tension on the straps 18 to exert a force in the direction to swing the foot forward to an extreme normal position, in respect to the upperleg section 2, shown in Fig. 2.

Copiea of this patent may be obtained for 2. In an artificial leg, the combination.

with upper anddower leg sections connected by a knee oint, otan anchoring strap extended around the upper portion. ofwsaid upper leg section and. attached. thereto, cord guides adjustahly mounted on SEi-lClqZlIlChOI- ing strap; and shoulder strap cords extended through said guides and. connected to said lower leg section.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND BUGHSDEIN. -Witnesses E. C. SKINKLE,

HARRY D. KILGoRE- five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner offatents Washington, DIG. V i i 

